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The 'Fun' of Pre University Exam Registrations

Twice a year, the pre university exam results come out and excite ecstasy, happiness, horror and even nonchalant unconcern among the students.  The lecturers are usually just tied up in knots.  The ecstasy or despair comes later, after the analyses are done.  But I don't want to talk about that. 

Today is the second last day before the deadline of repeat exam registrations and already the kids have made my colleagues and I feel like strangling them. 

First, some of them buy the PIN at Bank Simpanan Nasional at the very last minute (which would be tomorrow).  Then they happily whatsapp the PIN to the poor teacher in charge of Exams, thinking everything will be fine.  They will have had two weeks to ponder their options... two weeks to decide which paper to repeat and therefore two weeks to buy this PIN.  But most will wait till the last minute.  Poor teacher will be struggling to access the website together with countless other Exams teachers all over Malaysia.

Second, despite countless briefings (at least two briefings every semester), the same questions get asked:
- Do I register myself or do I ask the Exams lecturer? (Ans. : The lecturer.)
- Do I buy one PIN per subject or one PIN for all? (Ans. : one PIN for all)
- Why do I need to whatsapp the picture of the PIN to Mdm J? (Ans. : Because you may copy the PIN wrongly if you retype it)

Third, almost every semester, some bright kid will msg the PIN image to my colleague, thinking that she is psychic and is able to know who the sender is and which subject the sender wishes to repeat.  Luckily my colleague is rather patient and just breathes fire & brimstone back at the hapless kid.  Sounds like a small matter, right?  But once repeated msgs and calls were left unanswered.  Later we found out the student was at work.  I don't know how my colleague managed it but the registration was successful.

I wish I could tattoo the instructions into the kids. If only they didn't look so sweet and innocent...



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